SE11ing Kennington including the areas formerly known as Vauxhall, Oval, Walworth, Elephant & Castle and Lambeth

The Kennington Oval cricket ground

Even if you’re not a big cricket fan, you should spend a day at the Kennington Oval (so called because it is oval shaped, and in Kennington). Relative to other sports, cricket fans are a friendly, civilised bunch. Rivalry between supporters is good humoured, with fans of both teams intermingled throughout the ground. You will most likely end up in conversation with the stranger sat next to you. They may even collect your discarded beer glasses before passing them to a steward. There’s live music galore around the ground. The quality of food and drink puts even the most upmarket football ground to shame. In short, you will have a great day out regardless of what’s happening on the pitch.

If you are a cricket fan you will already know that The Kennington Oval is one of the world’s great cricket grounds in terms of the pitch, the facilities, and the historic games that have been played there. It also looks great:

Even if you never go inside The Oval, you can still appreciate the vegetation growing all over its perimeter:

(Pictures are from today’s opening day of the fifth Ashes test between England and Australia.)